Gate and runner structure for ingot molds



March I, 1966 w. w. BINTZER ETAL 3,237,909 GATE AND RUNNER swRucTuiaE FOR meow MOLDS Filed March 10, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTORS W/LL MM W B/NTZER F 4 CHARLES H ALEXANDER ATTORNEYS March 1, 1966 w, w, B|NTZER TA 3,237,909

GATE AND RUNNER STRUCTURE FOR INGOT MOLDS Filed March 10, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS WILL/A M W B/NTZER CHARLES hi ALEXANDER TTORNEYS March 1, 1966 w. w. BINTZER ETAL 3,237,909

GATE AND RUNNER STRUCTURE FOR INGOT MOLDS Filed March 10, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS P 1.5.15

WILL/AM W EINTZER CHARLES H ALEXANDER.

ORNEYS E HE M" i g l 2 I I I/ 40/ :1

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as ii i m1 k 41 /5 25 a0 2 March 1966 w. w. BINTZER ETAL 3,237,909

GATE AND RUNNER STRUCTURE FOR INGOT MOLDS Filed March 10, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

INVENTORS WILL/AM I4. B/NTZER CHARLES H ALEXANDER Wm WM 1% ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,237,909 GATE AND RUNNER STRUCTURE FOR INGQ'I MOLDS William W. Bintzer, Malvern, and Charles H. Alexander,

Atglen, Pa., assignors to Lukens Steel Company,

Coatesville, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Mar. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 350,883 Claims. (Cl. 249-409) This invention relates to devices for bottom pouring molten metal into molds mounted on railroad car-s. More particularly, the present invention relates to bottom plates, bricks, hold-down devices and center runner assemblies that are designed to facilitate bottom pouring steel ingots on railroad cars. The present invention is particularly concerned with component parts that can be fitted together with a minimum loss of time into pouring assemblies, which assemblies are suitable in molding processes. The pouring assemblies disclosed herein offer maximum protection against hot metal break-out during the pouring ope-ration.

While bottom pouring processes have several basic advantages, particularly the elimination of splashing and the potential of pouring and molding a plurality of ingots simultaneously from a single pouring opening, the disadvantages inherent in past practices have discouraged full use of bottom pouring devices throughout the entire industry. A particular disadvantage is the difliculty of assembling the component parts and the attending loss of time and labor that make the operation expensive. A related disadvantage is the difficulty in adapting the component parts so that several arrangements can be quickly assembled and ingots of widely varying sizes poured either individually or simultaneously.

A still further disadvantage is that hot metal breakouts occur to poorly assembled devices owing to the hydrostatic pressures developed du-ring pouring. It will be appreciated that the molten metal, particularly molten steel, is heavy and viscous. The metal is ordinarily poured into a vertical runner and is moved through passageways to fill one or more molds by the hydrostatic pressure developed in the runner. This pressure is considerable and unless the bricks, runner, molds and other rnaterials are properly designed, assembled, and held in place, costly breakouts occur.

It is an object of the present invention to provide bottom pouring devices made of component parts that can be readily assembled into devices that eliminate any opportunity for hot metal breakouts during pouring.

It is another object of the present invention to provide bottom pouring assemblies having component parts that can be re-arr-anged so that a plurality of ingots of varying sizes can be poured either singularly or simultaneously. Other objects will appear hereafter.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a bottom plate as used in the invention, the attachments and the mold being shown in phantom lines;

FIGURE 2 is a side sectional view, partly in elevation on the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, taken on the line 33 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the mouth of the center runner;

FIGURES 6 and 7 are plan and side views, respectively, of the hold-down wedge;

FIGURE 8 is a side elevational view of a lifting iron which can be inserted into the side guard for lifting the side guard;

3,237,909 Patented Mar. 1, 1966 ice FIGURE 9 is a plan view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the arrangement for pouring a plurality of molds;

FIGURES 10 and 11 are plan and side views of an elbow brick;

FIGURES 12 and 13 are plan and side views of a 4- way spider brick; and

FIGURES l4 and 15 are plan and side views of the hold-down bracket.

The essence of the present invention is the provision of a plurality of component parts that can be used in a multitude of bottom pouring arrangements for the production of a single ingot or several ingots simultaneously. When pouring ingots, the parts are arranged so that the metal flowing to each mold is fed from a center runner and through a central spider brick. Thus the metal reaches the molds at the same pressure, temperature, and viscosity, and equal filling of the molds with the metal in similar or substantially identical condition is achieved. Means for wedging the center runner in place and holding the bricks down is provided in the instance of the assembly shown in FIGURE 1 or the multiple mold assembly shown in FIGURE 9. In the former, a hold-down wedge 5, having an eyelet 33, for lifting, is placed between the center runner 6 and the mold 4. In all instances the center runner is held down by T-bolts provided with wedges. In the arrangement where three or more molds are being used, the reduced portion of the runner and the diverging ends of rails 41 provided on hold-down bracket 7 are wedged together. Both the hold-down Wedge and bracket are placed over the bricks adjacent the center runner 6 and hold the bricks in place against the pressures developed during pouring. The other bricks are weighted by the runner and the molds. The holddown means also serves to properly space the molds and runner.

FIGURE 1 shows the sprue assembly in which channelled bottom sprue plate 2 is provided with side guards 3 and lifting lugs 32 for positioning the assembly on a railroad flat car. Side guards 3 are provided with bores 38 so that lifting irons 37 can be used to lift the guards, as shown in FIGURE 8. The side guards are used in single mold assemblies. A single large mold 4 is supported by the plate 2 and a channelled runner 6 with enlarged mouth portion 36 and lifting projections 61 is vertically disposed over the plate. A hold-down wedge 5 is placed between the runner and mold. One side of the wedge has inwardly angled surfaces, as seen in plan view, that taper to roughly conform to the dimensions of the runner near the bottom of the runner. The wedge serves to position the runner and mold relative to one another and further serves as a weight to retain the bricks in place.

As shown in FIGURES 3 and 9, the runner 6 leads to spider brick 11 having a plurality of molten metal outlets. Each outlet is connected to a series of refractory bricks including spacer bricks 15, elbow brick 20, outlet brick 25 and end cap brick 30. The spider and outlet bricks are provided with one or more molten metal outlets and the lengths of all of the bricks can vary so that a multitude of assembly arrangements are possible. A preferred means of connecting the bricks is to provide male and female interfitting faces as shown in FIG- URE 3.

Because of the high pressures that exist in the passageways during pouring, it is the preferred arrangement to avoid sharp corners in the passageways receiving and delivering the hot metal. Accordingly, where more than one mold is used, the spider brick should be assembled so as to deliver the metal laterally of the runner with a minimum of sharp turns. In the arrangement shown in FIGURE 9, the elbow subtends an angle of about and the assembly is able to distribute molten metal to two or more molds on the plate simultaneously. Spider bricks 11 can have any number of openings so that a plurality of molds can be poured from one runner. Also, several outlet bricks in series can be provided and connected by the necessary spacer bricks 15 so that two or more molds can be serviced by one passageway. In addition to the wedge, T-bolts 13 are fitted in the notches provided on opposite sides of the base of the runner.

The heads of the T-bolts abut against the bottom of the plate as shown in FIG. 2. Wedges 14 are passed through the slots provided in the bolts and are driven tight to key and hold the entire center runner 6 down securely even during movement of the railroad cars. The wedges 14 are designed to shear before damage can occur to bottom plate, T-bolt or lugs on center runner if the center runner 6 is removed after pouring is completed and before rem-oval of the wedges 14. At that time the center runner is lifted by a crane by means of projections 61 and wedges 14 have been removed for reuse. The lugs on the center runner and bottom plate, T- bolt and shear key have been designed with sutficient strength to permit the crane to pull against either the center runner or the center runner and hold-downs to tear the metal feed sprue away from the ingot. This must be done while the feed .sprue is still hot. Projections 61 and the lifting lugs on the molds are similar and can be handled by the same lifting means.

In FIGURE 9, four molds are shown arranged substantially symmetrically on the plate 34. When three or more molds are used, a hold-down bracket 7 affords the support and weight to retain the runner and bricks in place. As seen in FIGURES l4 and 15, hold-down bracket 7 has a long flat template 40 which carries a notch plate 43 at one end. A pair of rail arms 41 diverge at the other end and overhang the end of the template. The overhanging portions of the arms snugly fit and embrace the reduced portion 18 of the runner and are wedged tight under projections 60. Projections 60 serve as splash shields to shelter the T-bolts 13 and wedges 14 from molten metal that has been spilled. When the runner is positioned centrally as shOWn in FIGURE 9, the hold down brackets 7 have their notched ends 43 facing the sides of sprue plate 34. A T-bolt is fitted within each notch plate 43 and indent 35 of the sprue plate. The brackets serve to hold down the bricks only; the center runner holds the brackets down. Eye bar 44 and chocks 42 are provided for handling and reinforcing.

It will be appreciated that a principal feature of the invention is the means for positioning and bracing the runner and mold with respect to each other while all of the bricks and component parts are held down so that hot metal breakouts are prevented. The pouring devices are also unique in that they can be readily reassembled into different arrangements with little loss in time and material.

We claim:

1. A bottom pouring assembly for hot metal comprising a channeled bottom plate, at least one mold supported by said plate, a plurality of hollow-refractory bricks, a pouring runner disposed vertically over said plate, said bricks extending laterally in said channelled bottom plate from said runner to said mold and defining a molten metal passageway, hold-down wedge means, said means being positioned to abut said runner and mold and to secure said bricks and runner in place, the lower part of said runner being provided with notches to receive bolts and said bolts being releasably fastened to said plate and said runner by further wedge means whereby shifting of said runner is prevented.

2. The assembly of claim 1 wherein at least three molds are supported by said plate and the hold-down wedge means comprises two brackets, said brackets having extending rail arms in clasping engagement with the lower portion of said runner.

3. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the runner is provided with projecting portions above said notches to shield said bolts from splashes of hot metal.

4. A bottom pouring assembly for hot metal comprising a channelled bottom plate, at least three molds supported by said plate, a plurality of hollow refractory bricks, a pouring runner disposed vertically over the approximate center of said plate, said bricks extending laterally in said channelled plate from said runner to said molds so as to define an elbowed moi-ten metal passageway to each of said molds, hold-down means comprising two elongated notched brackets each having two extending rail arms in clasping engagement with the lower portion of said runner, said bricks being held down in place by said runner, molds and brackets.

5. The assembly of claim 1 wherein each elbowed passageway subtends an angle of about l40.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,009,699 7/1935 McKune 249-109 FOREIGN PATENTS 263 1873 Great Britain. 761 1880 Great Britain. 849,362 9/ 1960 Great Britain.

MARCUS U. LYONS, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BOTTOM POURING ASSEMBLY FOR HOT METAL COMPRISING A CHANNELED BOTTOM PLATE, AT LEAST ONE MOLD SUPPORTED BY SAID PLATE, A PLURALITY OF HOLLOW-REFRACTORY BRICKS, A POURING RUNNER DISPOSED VERTICALLY OVER SAID PLATE, SAID BRICKS EXTENDING LATERALLY IN SAID CHANNEL BOTTOM PLATE FROM SAID RUNNER TO SAID MOLD AND DEFINING A MOLTEN METAL PASSAGEWAY, HOLD-DOWN WEDGE MEANS, SAID MEANS BEING 